Coyote Starrk
Coyote Starrk is the 1st Espada of Sōsuke Aizen's army and a villain from Bleach. Though one of Sosuke Aizen's strongest followers (being only surpassed in ranking by Gin Ichimaru and Tosen), Coyote Starrk also happens to be one of the most sympathetic of them. He was voiced by legendary voice actor Keith Silverstein. History Past Starrk was once part of a more powerful being that tried to live amongst Hollows. However he was so powerful that his mere presence caused them to die, causing him to become lonely and jealous of weaker beings. So that he would not be lonely anymore, he split into two beings, Starrk and Lilynette Gingerbuck. After their separation, Starrk and Lilynette asked each other their names and after telling each other, Lilynette asked Starrk what they would do and where they would go. He simply said anything and anywhere, but assured her they would always stick together. The two took to wandering Hueco Mundo and were sitting alone in front of an enormous pile of dead Hollows one day when Aizen found them. He asked if they’d killed the hollows, but Starrk said no, they’d just died, which impressed the rogue Shinigami. He told them he was looking for allies and Starrk said that they were as well then asked Aizen if his allies were powerful. He told the two to come along and see for themselves, which the Arrancar agreed to do, telling Lilynette that Aizen looked like he could be around them and not die. Events in Hueco Mundo Starrk, along with a number of the other Espada, attended Wonderweiss Margela’s transformation into an Arrancar. Later he went to a meeting of the Espada that Aizen called to discuss the arrival of Ichigo Kurosaki, Uryu Ishida, and Yasutora Sado in Hueco Mundo so as to rescue Orihime Inoue. Some time after this, when Aaroniero Arruruerie was killed by Rukia Kuchiki, Starrk was sleeping when Lilynette woke him up to tell him what happened. However the 1st Espada already knew and when she urged him to do something, he asked her what she wanted him to do about it. Later, after Nnoitra Gilga was killed by Kenpachi Zaraki, Starrk appeared in front of Orhime as she was about to heal Kenpachi. Though he stated tactics like this were beneath him, Starrk noted he didn’t have a choice in the matter and grabbed Orihime, before disappearing with her and bringing her back to Aizen. Invasion of Karakura Town After Aizen went to Karakura Town, only to find it was a fake, he summoned Starrk, along with Lilynette, the 2nd and 3rd Espada, Baraggan Louisenbairn and Tier Harribel, and their Fracción to battle the Soul Society’s forces. However Captain Yamamoto used his Zanpakuto to trap Aizen, along with Gin Ichimaru and Kaname Tōsen with Starrk barely dodging the attack. Baraggan decided to take the role of leader with Aizen incapacitated and Starrk lazily agreed to this, causing Lilynette to kick him. After the four Fracción Baraggan sent to destroy the pillars holding the real Karakura Town in the Soul Society were killed, the rest of the Arrancar engaged the Shinigami with Starrk and Lilynette taking on captains Shunsui Kyoraku and Jushiro Ukitake. Shunsui asked the 1st Espada to send Lilynette away since he couldn’t fight all out with her there. However Starrk ignored the request, stating simply that if the captain wouldn’t fight at full power, he wouldn’t either. Ukitake asked him what he meant and the 1st Espada explained this didn’t really suit him, asking if they could just pretend to fight until the others finished. Shunsui agreed, saying he was the same way and hated getting hurt, but this time he couldn’t avoid it and Starrk stated what a pain this was before drawing his sword. Shunsui noticed the fight between Rangiku, Momo, and Harribel’s three Fracción and asked if they should put on a show themselves. Completely unamused, Starrk flat out said no and pointed out neither of them would be fighting at full power. He noted that Shunsui kept his sword sheathed and the captain claimed that he only used it when it’s difficult to use a katana. However Starrk stated that Shunsui was obviously ambidextrous and faster with his left hand than his right, so he doesn’t believe his excuse for not using his short sword. The captain then attacked Starrk, only for him to dodge, but was surprised when he swapped his hands in mid-attack and made his right hand as strong as his left. The 1st Espada noted the change and Shunsui asked if he would take the fight seriously if he drew his sword. Starrk said that the captain was strong enough and he wouldn’t want him to use his sword. Shunsui then decided to draw his sword and after Yamamoto defeated Mila Rose, Apacci, and Sung-Sun, Starrk noted Harribel’s change in strategy. Shunsui began to assume Harribel was the 3rd Espada and stated that he hoped Starrk was the 2nd Espada so the battle would be a bit easier. However the Arrancar revealed that he was the 1st Espada, which didn’t seem to surprise Shunsui, stating that the battle wouldn’t be too easy after all. As they continued to fight, Starrk and Shunsui seemed evenly matched and the 1st Espada said he was surprised that Shusnui was able to avoid his attacks without losing his hat or messing up his kimono. Eventually Starrk fired a Cero at the captain, which surprised him since he didn’t move any part of his body to do so. The 1st Espda began showing clear signs of irritation, scolding Shunsui and telling him not to run away. Starrk then watched as Baraggan was hit by Sui-Feng’s Bankai and looked upon the prison of ice imprisoning Harribel, generated by Toshiro Hitsugaya. He proceeded to ask Shunsui if all Bankai were that strong and the captain smiled and said they were Shinigami’s secret weapons. Starrk then asked him if his Bankai was more powerful than Hitsugaya’s and Shunsui said that one day, Hitsugaya may become more powerful than him. He then tossed his kimono to Ukitake, saying that he believed Starrk wanted to fight for real and the Arrancar said he wanted to see Shunsui’s Bankai. He proceeded to call Lilynette over and explained that they were two parts of one being and when they became one again, their full power would be unleashed. Fighting at Full Power Starrk then entered his Resurrección form and Shunsui released the Shikai of his Zanpakuto. The captain then attempted to attack the 1st Espada while he was talking, only for him to avoid it easily, and then used his Bushogami and Takaoni techniques. Starrk parried and fired a powerful Cero from one of his guns, noting that Shunsui seemed panicked. The captain said he meant to bring him down with the first strike and noted Starrk’s release must be something if he could parry it. Shunsui came to the conclusion the 1st Espada’s guns could fire Ceros, which he confirmed, but when the captain asked if they could do anything else, Starrk said no. He went on to say that since he’d entered Resurrección, Shunsui should show him his Bankai. However the captain said he had no intention of doing so, no matter how strong Starrk got. The 1st Espada then fired his Cero Metralleta, at Shunsui, which he dodged and fired again. However Ukitake stepped in, releasing his own Shikai and countering the Ceros with a blast of his own. After avoiding the attack, Starrk asked if the attack was a Cero, but Ukitake said who knew and maybe he’d figure it out if he did it again. They exchanged a few attacks and eventually, the 1st Espada used his Sonído to get close to Ukitake. Starrk went on to explain what he figured out about the captain’s powers, that he could absorb energy attacks and direct them at the opponent. The 1st Espada went on to deduce that there had to be a limit to what Ukitake could absorb and if he fired 1000 shots at once, the captain couldn’t redirect the attack. But before Starrk could fire the attack, Shunsui tried to cut off his head, but he dodged and fired a Cero back at the captain, which he dodged. The 1st Espada noted that these actions were unlike him, but Shunsui said he shouldn’t make such judgments, when he was the one not acting like himself. Starrk replied that they were both alike, when a Garganta appeared out of nowhere and the three watched as Wonderweiss walked through it. Ukitake and Shunsui asked who he was and Starrk told them, just as surprised to see the Arrancar. Suddenly Wonderweiss impaled Ukitake on his hand and Shunsui tried to attack him. However Starrk shot him in the back with a Cero and both captains were left to fall to the ground below. The 1st Espada then noted that Wonderweiss arriving meant Aizen was losing patience. After the Visoreds joined the fight, Starrk faced off against Love Aikawa and Rojuro “Rose” Otoribashi. The 1st Espada asked them if they really wanted to take their Hollow masks off, but Love smirked and said they were superheroes and they only lasted 3 minutes. After Baraggan was killed, Starrk said it was horrible that Aizen didn’t spare a word for his death. He turned back to Love and Rose, saying that it was not in the Espada’s nature to avenge one another. As the fight between them went on, Rose was eventually sent crashing into a building. Love tried to attack Starrk and released his Shikai with the Arrancar firing a barrage of Ceros in response, but they were blocked. The Visored tried to strike him again, but he avoided, only to be hit from behind, sending him crashing into buildings below. Starrk just lay on the ground and Lilynette told him he should be getting revenge, but he just said he didn’t care anymore, knowing Aizen wasn’t going to save him. The 1st Espada went on to say Love and Rose were strong and continuing was pointless, since it would only cause someone else to die. Starrk decided it would be best to just go home and sleep, but Lilynette told him was the 1st Espada. She went on to say if Aizen didn’t believe in his strength, he wouldn’t have that rank and if he didn’t want to lose his friends, he had to fight. Starrk, realizing she was right, got to his feet and when Love attacked, he blocked with his guns. The Visored asked if he was grieving and the 1st Espada said he was doing something like that. Love donned his Hollow Mask and used the ability of his Shikai to launch a blast of fire at Starrk, only for him to dodge and when the smoke cleared, he was standing in front of an enormous pack of wolves. The 1st Espada sent the pack at Love and Rose, who were able to fend them off at first, but they eventually proved too much for the two, getting close and detonating. Starrk explained the wolves were a part of him and were the manifestation of power of both him and Lilynette. As Love and Rose got up, the 1st Espada said the game was over and if they ran, he wouldn’t go after them. Love refused to do so and Starrk said he had no choice but to finish them only to be pierced through the chest by a sword that came from out of the shadows. Games with Shunsui Starrk looked back at his own shadow to see Shunsui rise out of it and asked what that was and if he’d been holding back an attack like that the whole time, noting it was ridiculous that the captain could hide in the shadows. Shunsui explained that he hadn’t been holding back and went on to tell Starrk that his Zanpakuto used different games with different rules in battle. The captain went to attack him, but the 1st Espada generated a sword of spiritual energy to block. Shunsui started the game Irooni, stating the color gray, and slashing his right arm. Starrk noted that while the wound was shallow, it felt like the captain almost cut off his arm. Shunsui told him it was his turn and he could call out any color he wanted, but could only cut that color. However Starrk caught on to the rules of Irooni and called out white, surprising Shunsui and made a slash across his back, which dealt a considerable amount of damage because most of his own clothing was white. The captain congratulated him, but said that the color chosen could damage him as well and the higher the risk to yourself, the more damage you inflicted. Shunsui said it amazed him how fast Starrk figured out the rules and that he was a tough opponent. They continued to fight and the 1st Espada remarked he could say the same thing of Shunsui. Wondering why he had to fight someone so strong, Starrk began remembering his past, but then saw the captain’s haori fly at him, leaving him wearing mostly black. He slashed it away, but Shunsui charged at him and called out black, before striking Starrk right on his Hollow Hole. The area around the attack began to crack and blood poured from the 1st Espada’s chest as he fell from the sky. Starrk began remembering meeting Aizen for the first time and said he was sorry for not being able to repay him for letting him escape his loneliness. The 1st Espada then remembered the other Espada and Lilynette, realizing he wasn’t alone, and finally died as he plummeted to the ground. Personality Starrk is lazy and unenthusiastic and sleeps most of the time, rarely talking to any of the other Arrancar except Lilynette. Even though he is the 1st Espada, he has no interest in having any kind of leadership role and isn’t really interested in anything going on around him. Starrk is not violent or overly arrogant, unlike most Espada and doesn’t seem to show much caring for his fellows. He lazily stated there was nothing he could do about it after hearing of Aaroniero Arrurerie’s death and when Baraggan and Harribel were overwhelmed by their opponent’s Bankai, he just asked if all Bankai were that strong. However Starrk lost this attitude after Baraggan’s demise, saying it was horrible that Aizen didn’t say anything. This even drained his desire to fight and stated he was not the type to fight for revenge, but to protect his comrades. Starrk actually doesn’t seem to like killing people, since he gave Love and Rose the chance to withdraw. He is often on the receiving end of physical abuse from Lilynette, but does nothing to stop her. Starrk can be serious when he needs to, though he is usually reluctant but willing to complete whatever task he is assigned. Powers Starrk possesses enormous spiritual power as the first Espada to the point where he is forbidden to enter Resurrección form inside Las Noches, since the release would destroy it. Starrk is also an extremely skilled swordsman, able to hold his own against Captain Kyoraku, one of the Soul Society’s best swordsmen. He possesses a strong Hierro, an Arrancar technique that uses spiritual energy to make the users skin extremely strong, mastery of Sonído, another technique that lets him move extremely fast, Garganta, a technique that tears open a portal that lets him move to and from Hueco Mundo, and Cero, a powerful energy blast. Starrk’s Cero is different in that he can fire it without making any sort of body gesture unlike other Arrancar. He is highly skilled in perceiving how an opponent’s abilities work and the strengths and weaknesses of it. Starrk, like all other Arrancar, is able to enter his Resurrección form by releasing his Zanpakuto, Los Lobos, with the release command “Kick about”. However his Zanpakuto doesn’t take the form of a sword, but instead the form of Lilynette, the other half of his soul. In Resurrección form, Starrk gains an increase in power and a pair of ornate pistols that he can fire Ceros out of. These pistols actually house Lilynette’s consciousness and she talks to him through them during battle. Starrk states he can use his pistols to shoot 1000 Ceros at once and they can fire his Cero Metralleta attack, an enormous barrage of Ceros, which he can direct as he fires or join into one blast. Starrk can also summon an enormous pack of wolves from the bandoleers on his back, almost in the hundreds, which respond to his verbal commands. They chase down his enemies and upon getting close or biting a person, explode. These wolves are actually pieces of Starrk and Lilynette’s souls and summoning them causes Lilynette to become a presence in his body. He can also generate swords of spirit energy from his bandoleers, which he can wield in close combat. Trivia *In Spanish, Starrk’s rank, the Primera Espada, is usually used for a prominent bullfighter, but can be anyone who excels in their profession. *The aspect of death that he represents is Solitude. *The name of Starrk’s Zanpakuto is “The Wolves” in Spanish and "Wolf Pack" in Japanese, which is a reference to the spirit wolves he creates in Resurrección form. 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